Methredhel's Lesson
by CheySkywalker
Summary: Just a little idea that popped into my head. Methredhel is bored one night and decides that she's going to do what she does best. What will happen when she gets caught? This is mostly for my own amusement, but I'm always receptive to others' opinions. Enjoy!


**(A/N) ****So, while I was playing Oblivion this afternoon, I realized that my Waterfront District house is ****_filled_**** with all sorts of awesome treasure. It would make the perfect target for a Thieves Guild member needing a little extra fence money. I was thinking (always a dangerous past-time while I'm involved) "What would happen if a Thieves Guild member tried to steal my stuff?" And an idea was born.**

It was three-thirty in the morning in the middle of Sun's Dusk, and Methredhel was bored.

"There's nothing to do." she complained to her friend and colleague Amusei. The Argonian was sitting on the floor of the guildhouse, attempting to juggle three apples. It wasn't going well. Every time he seemed to get a rhythm going, the apples would tumble from his clumsy fingers.

"Perhaps you should find something to do." he suggested, frowning as he picked the apples up. "You are a member of the Thieves Guild. Go out and steal something."

"Yes, I could do that, but what should I steal? Who should I steal from?" Methredhel paced the width of the room, deep in thought. Amusei shrugged and resumed juggling.

"I know!" Methredhel exclaimed. Amusei looked up at her without breaking his rhythm. "We could go over to that Jerick woman's house. It's not far, and it shouldn't be hard to find something to steal. She's filthy rich, and I know she has all sorts of weird expensive stuff in her house." She resumed pacing. "She left not too long ago... I heard she was going to Anvil."

"Jerick?" Amusei asked, and the apples fell from his hands again. "If you're speaking of the Jerick I think you're speaking of, I would not suggest stealing her things. Alison Jerick is a fierce warrior with a bad temper, and would cut your throat as soon as say hello."

"Did you not hear me? I said she's not home. Off in Anvil, doing whatever it is she does." Methredhel stopped before Amusei, putting her hands on her hips. "Are you going to come with me or not?"

"I would rather not risk getting my throat cut." he replied, picking the apples up again. "Should you be killed, I will make sure your body gets a proper burial in Lake Rumare." She snorted and walked away, leaving him alone with his apples.

* * *

Methredhel strolled between the rundown shacks of the Imperial City's Waterfront District, nodding politely to Armand Christophe as she passed him. The street was empty, thank Akatosh; that would make it all the easier for her to break into the Jerick woman's house.

She came up to the small porch of her target, quickly checking the street for any watchers. Seeing none, she pulled out one of her lockpicks, fitting it into the lock with practiced ease. The door opened without any resistance. This puzzled her. Why would someone as obviously rich as Alison Jerick leave the door to her house unlocked? Did she not care about thieves? Methredhel resisted the urge to laugh as she slipped into the house.

The first thing she noticed was the light. No candles were lit, but the one-room shack was awash with light. Methredhel noticed that the source was a pile of luminescent white stones on the table. How did one acquire so many Varla stones? She herself had only seen one in her lifetime, sitting on a table in the home of a scholar whose notes she had stolen. But there were at least six on the table, glowing with an eerie white light that threw everything in the room in sharp relief. As Methredhel's eyes adjusted to the light, they widened with shock.

The shack was filled with treasure. There were ornate weapons hanging on the walls, pieces of shining armor piled haphazardly on the small bed, expensive-looking dishes stacked neatly on a shelf. And that was just what was in plain sight! Methredhel carefully made her way over to a small chest by the wall, stepping around a pile of assorted boots and moving a few enchanted amulets out of the way. Opening the chest, she stared wide-eyed at a veritable _fortune_ of precious gems, gleaming in the light from the nearby table. Mixed in with the loose gems were random pieces of jewelry, a lot of it high-quality. She knew thieves who would _kill_ for this kind of loot.

She was so preoccupied with the chest that she didn't notice the sound of the door opening until it was too late. There was a shout of surprise, and Methredhel only had enough time to turn towards the door before being hit with a flash of light. Methredhel's muscles immediately locked into place, and she could do nothing but stare in terrified embarrassment at the still-surprised form of Alison Jerick.

The Breton recovered herself quickly, and shut the door firmly behind her, lighting the fireplace with a flick of her fingers. She made her way to the Paralyzed Bosmer, lifting her chin with one hand and raising her eyebrows as she recognized the face.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite Thieves Guild member." the woman said, reaching behind Methredhel to shut the chest firmly. "I would welcome you to my home, but you seem to have already welcomed yourself. I would also ask you what the reason for this surprise visit was, but that is obvious." She chuckled to herself, removing her gauntlets and tossing them onto the table. "I realize I don't lock my door, Methredhel, but most thieves are smart enough to not come near my house."

Methredhel thought of Amusei, and his refusal to accompany her. _I'll never hear the end of this_, she thought to herself.

"I must say, you were either very gutsy or very stupid to come here, my dear." the Breton remarked, sprawling out on the one chair that wasn't covered in treasure. "I do remember telling Carwen that I would be returning today, and I distinctly recall you skulking somewhere in the background while I said it. That's probably how you learned I would be leaving in the first place. It was definitely foolish of you to break into my house tonight."

The Paralyze spell wore off, and Methredhel was able to control her muscles again. She considered making a run for it, but she figured Jerick would stop her before she could make it to the door. The Breton seemed to recognize her thoughts, and laughed softly. "Don't even think about running, Methredhel. I would hate to have to hurt you." She didn't sound very concerned by the thought.

"What are you going to do with me?" Methredhel was disgusted by how weak her voice sounded. She was a high-ranking member of the Thieves Guild, for Akatosh's sake, not some weakling pickpocket!

"That is an excellent question." Jerick replied, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I have several friends in the Imperial Guard who would simply love to get their hands on a high-ranking Thieves Guild member like you. But I don't think I'm cruel enough to turn you over to their tender mercies. I could just kill you and dump your body in Lake Rumare, but that would be a waste of talent. Who knows if I might need you to steal something for me someday? You must understand the moral dilemma here, Methredhel. As an upstanding citizen, I am technically obligated to turn you in to the authorities for your trespassing. But as one who understands how the Waterfront works, I feel I should just let you scamper off to steal from someone else." A wicked gleam came into her eyes. "Perhaps we could compromise..."

* * *

Amusei's eyes widened as the door to the guildhouse opened to reveal Alison Jerick dragging Methredhel in by her arm. Armand, who had arrived not long before and had been warned about the plan, began to laugh. Methredhel's face was redder than a tomato, and she kept trying to yank her arm from the taller woman's grip.

"Christophe, learn to control your thieves." Jerick said, shoving Methredhel towards the laughing Redguard. "They're supposed to be smart enough to stay away from my home."

"I tried to warn her, Miss Jerick, but she didn't listen." Amusei gave the Breton a reptilian smile.

"Next time, listen to your guildmates. They're here to watch your back." Alison turned to go, and then looked back.

"Catch." she said, tossing a small object to the still-blushing Bosmer. Methredhel caught it, and her eyes widened. It was a plain silver ring, glowing with some sort of enchantment. "Wear it, sell it, toss it in the lake for all I care." the woman said, shrugging. "If you keep it, think of it as a reminder to watch and listen carefully. I might not be so lenient if I catch you again." She looked at Armand. "I have absolutely no idea where you're hiding, Christophe." she remarked. "And I definitely have no idea where the Thieves Guild base of operations is. For the moment." She walked out, the door swinging shut behind her.

"I hope you have learned your lesson, Methredhel." Amusei said. "It is dangerous to play games with Alison Jerick. Do you want an apple?"

**(A/N) I realize that you're not supposed to steal from people on the Waterfront, but since Alison isn't a member of the Thieves' Guild, I decided to make an exception. Just another example of me tweaking rules to suit my fanfiction purposes.**


End file.
